The present invention relates to an infrared signal interface for translating an infrared detector signal into a standard garage door operator edge detection signal and, more particularly, relates to an infrared signal translator which is a separate module from the garage door operator and is powered thereby.
It is well known that automatic door operators can use ultrasonic or infrared sensors in conjunction therewith to control operation of a door.
Older garage door operators typically have a pair of screw type input terminals that are to be connected to a mechanical obstacle switch. The mechanical switch, when closed, provides a signal path between the two terminals which is interpreted by the garage door operator as indicating a fault condition or that an obstacle may have been encountered in the path of the door. The garage door operator then immediately reverses to lift the door away from the obstacle. The typical mechanical switch which would be used with the existing garage door operators is a door edge closure switch associated with a bottom edge of a door. The bottom edge of the door may have an extensible mechanical switch or may have an air or gas filled bladder extending therealong. The air or gas filled bladder, when coming into contact with an obstacle or the garage floor, is compressed by the door movement, raising the pressure within the bladder and causing the door edge switch to close. The drawback, however, of such a system is that it is relatively expensive to fit a mechanical door with a door edge detector. The door edge detector may wear out or may become damaged by punctures and the like. In particular, if the door edge detector has become defective, it may be desirable to replace it with a relatively low-cost system such as an infrared detector. Unfortunately, the infrared detector power supply requirements and signal characteristics are incompatible with the simple switch closure characteristics of door edge detectors and an optical detector could not be connected directly to the input terminals of the existing garage door operators which are meant to receive door edge closure signals.
What is needed is an apparatus for coupling an infrared or optical obstacle sensor to the door edge signal input terminals of existing garage door operators.